Electrically operated can opener



March 25, "1958 R. G. HARMANSON ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CAN OPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 7, 1957 ATTORNEYS March 25, 1958 R. e. HARMANSON' ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CAN OPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 7, 1957 ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 2,827,691 ELECTRICALLY ornns'rnn CAN OPENER Rom'e G. Harmanson, New Orleans, La.

Application June 7, 1957, Serial No. 664,233

3 Claims. (Cl. 30 4) 10 operating position to engage the head 27 at the upper end of a can C. A disc shaped cutter 28 is also fixed by means of a screw 29 on the shaft 22 in confronting position to the toothed wheel 26. The cutter 28 is larger in diameter than the wheel 26 so that the cutter 28 will puncture the top wall 30 of the can C during the lid removing operation.

An elongated lever 31 is pivotally mounted on a pivot 32 extending through the inner portion of arm or support 14 and lever 31 has a shaft 33 journaled in the upper portion thereof on which a pressure applying roller 34 is mounted. The roller 34 is disposed in confronting posi- This invention relates to an electrically operated can 15 opener.

An object of this invention is to provide a normally inoperative can opener with a lever operated can puncturing means and a normally open spring-pressed switch disposed in the path of the lever so that when the lever is raised to can puncturing position the switch will be closed and the operator made effective so as to rotate the can with the rim firmly gripped and the lid cutter projecting through the lid.

Another object of this invention is to provide an electrically operated can opener which is of simple construction so that the movable parts may be sturdily made to withstand hard usage.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail side elevation of an electrically operated can opener constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the device.

Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation of the cutter shaft support and operating lever.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation of the pressure roller supporting lever.

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan partly broken away and in section of the lever shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 19 designates generally an electric motor having a motor shaft 11 extending therefrom. The motor has mounted on the forward side thereof a switch 12 which includes a springpressed switch operating button 13. An elongated spacer arm or support 14 having a base 15 is secured by fastening means 16 to the forward side of the motor 10. The supporting arm 14 has disposed adjacent the outer end thereof 'a pair of spaced bearings 17 and 18 through which the shaft 11 rotatably engages and a worm 19 is fixed on shaft 11 and is positioned between the bearings 17 and 18. The arm or supporting member 14 is provided with an elongated slot or opening 20 adjacent the forward end thereof. A worm gear 21 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 22 which is rotatably carried by the arm 14 and the shaft 22 is removably disposed in bearings 23 and 24 carried by the arm 14 by means of a screw 25. A toothed wheel 26 is secured on one end of shaft 22 and is adapted in tion to wheel 26 and is adapted to engage the lower side of bead 27. A pair of links 35 are pivotally secured on a pivot 36 extending through the lever 31 and the links 35 are also pivotally secured by means of a pair of pivot members 37 to the bifurcated lower end 38 of an obtusely angled lever generally indicated at 39. The lever 39 has the bifurcated lower end 38 thereof pivotally mounted on a pivot 40 extending through the supporting arm 14 and the pivot members 37 are disposed above the pivot member 40 so as to provide a cam action whereby lever 31 will be raised upwardly to pressure applying position when lever 39 is raised upwardly. Lever 39 includes an obtusely angled handle 41 disposed in confronting position at its lower end to switch button 13 so that when handle 41 is in a vertical position button 13 will be pressed inwardly to thereby close switch 12 and energize motor 10. As handle 41 and lever 39 are raised upwardly lever 31 is raised upwardly so that roller 34 will be pressed against the lower side of head 27 and the teeth of wheel 26 may bite into the upper side of head 27. At this time wheel 26 will be rotated with operation of the shaft 11 and worm 19, together with worm gear 21 so that wheel or cutter 28 will rotate about the rim of the can and cut the lid 30.

When the lid 30 has been completely severed from the can C and handle 41 is swung downwardly to a released or inoperative position and at this time switch 12 will be disposed in circuit breaking position.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrically operated can opener comprising a motor, a shaft extending from said motor, a supporting arm fixed at one end to said motor and extending therefrom parallel with said shaft, bearings for said shaft carried by said arm, a worm gear shaft rotatably carried by said arm and disposed at right angles with respect to said first named shaft, a worm fixed on said first named shaft, a worm gear in said second shaft meshing with said worm, a toothed rim engaging wheel fixed on said second shaft, a cutting wheel fixed on said second shaft in abutting relation to said toothed wheel, a rock lever pivotally secured at one end to said arm, a pressure applying roller carried by the other end of said lever in confronting position to said toothed wheel, a second lever rockably carried by said arm, and a link pivotally connected between said first and second levers.

2. An electrically operated can opener comprising a motor, a shaft extending from said motor, a supporting arm fixed at one end to said motor and extending therefrom parallel with said shaft, bearings for said shaft carried by said arm, a worm gear shaft rotatably carried by said arm and disposed at right angles with respect to said first named shaft, a worm fixed on said first named shaft, a worm gear on said second shaft meshing with said worm, a toothed rim engaging wheel fixed on said second shaft, a cutting wheel fixed on said second shaft in abutting relation to said toothed wheel, a rock lever pivotally secured at one end to said arm, a pressure applying roller carried by the other end of said lever in confronting position to said toothed wheel, a second lever rockably carried by said arm, a link pivotally connected between said first and second levers, and a switch carried by and connected with said motor, said switch being disposed in a position for' engagement by said second lever when the latter is rocked to pressure applying position tothereby dispose said switch in circuit closing position.

3.A'n electrically operated can opener comprising a motor, a shaft extendingtfrom said motor, a supporting arm fixed at one end to said motor and extending therefrom parallel with said'shaft; bearings for said shaft carried by said arm, a worm gear shaft rotatably carried by said arm and disposed at right angles with respect to said first named shaft, a worrn'fixed' on saidtfirst named shaft, a worm gear o'n'sai'd second shaft meshing with said Worm, a toothed rim engaging wheel fixed on said second 4 shaft, a cutting wheel fixed on said second shaft in abutting relation to said toothed wheel, a rock lever pivotally secured at one end to said arm, a pressure applying roller carried by the other end of said lever in confronting position to said toothed wheel, a second lever rockably carried by said arm, a link pivotally connected between said first and second levers, and a switch carried by and connected with said motor, said switch being disposed in a position tween said link and said levers being such that said second lever will be maintained in switch engaging and pressure applying position. a

No references cited. 

